Actor Mark Ruffalo faced scrutiny from Paramount after posting criticism of a proposed merger between the studio and Warner Bros. On Friday, Ruffalo shared video content on Instagram featuring Paramount board member Safra Catz discussing technology provided by Oracle to the Israeli military. He characterized Oracle’s leadership as “classic oligarchs” and expressed concern that consolidating media power in their hands could harm workers and concentrate global wealth.
Paramount responded by stating that Ruffalo’s language crossed a line, characterizing his comments as invoking “antisemitic tropes.” The studio argued that applying terms like “genocide” to a corporate transaction was inappropriate and cheapened genuine suffering. Jewish advocacy organizations including the Simon Wiesenthal Center also criticized Ruffalo’s remarks.
Hannah Einbinder, star of the HBO series “Hacks” and an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights, publicly defended Ruffalo on Monday through social media. Einbinder, who is Jewish, contended that critics were mischaracterizing legitimate corporate criticism as antisemitism. She questioned whether identifying Catz’s role or Ellison’s business dealings inherently constituted prejudice and argued that holding powerful individuals accountable for their actions should not be labeled as discriminatory.
Einbinder concluded by urging celebrities to follow Ruffalo’s example in speaking out for oppressed populations, characterizing public visibility as carrying a responsibility to use one’s voice regardless of pressure from powerful figures.
Originally reported by Variety →
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